Swedish PEN was founded in 1922 with the purpose to defend freedom of speech and to treasure world literature.

PEN:s declaration of principle reads:

1. Literature recognizes no borders and has to remain humanity's common property despite shifts in power and international crises.

2. Under all circumstances, and especially during times of war, art and literature shall, as being humanity's heritage, remain separated and neutral of national and political conflicts.

3. PEN-members shall always, to the best of their ability, promote understanding and respect between people. They commit to do their outmost to eliminate hate and contradictions between races, classes of society and nations; as well as being objective and strive toward a united humanity in a peaceful world.

4. PEN supports the principle of free distribution of thoughts and opinions in every country and between all countries and PEN's members commit to fight any threats toward freedom of speech in their own society and in the world. PEN advocates the principle of press freedom and oppose censorship in times of peace. PEN considers that the essential development toward a sustainable political and economical world order demands freedom to criticise governments, administrations and institutions. Since freedom means self-selected restraint the members commit to fight such abuse of the free press as false publications, purposely hiding the truth and distortion of facts in both political and personal agendas.